1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an active air flap apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly an active air flap apparatus for a vehicle which has a pedestrian protection function.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, not only the parts for driving such as an engine, but various heat exchangers such as a radiator, an intercooler, an evaporator, and a condenser are disposed in the engine compartment of vehicles.
These heat exchangers allow a refrigerant to flow through them and are cooled or discharge heat by means of heat exchange between the refrigerant in the heat exchangers and air outside the heat exchangers, and the external air should be supplied well in order so that various heat exchangers in the engine compartment of a vehicle can stably operate.
However, there is a problem that as a large amount of external air flows inside when a vehicle travels at a high speed, the air resistance is considerably large and fuel efficiency of the vehicle reduces.
For solving the problem, an active air flap has been developed, which increases the amount of air flowing into the engine compartment by increasing the open angle in low-speed traveling and decreases the amount of air flowing into the engine compartment by decreasing the open angle in high-speed traveling, thereby improving the fuel efficiency.
An active air flap apparatus for a vehicle, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, includes a duct 2 coupled to a front end module 1 of a vehicle and guiding air flow, a housing 3 coupled to the duct 2, an actuator 4 fixed to the center of the housing 3, an air flap 6 rotatable with respect to the housing 3 and opening/closing an air path 5 of the housing 3.
In this configuration, the actuator 4 includes a motor and a plurality of gear members (reduction gears), a rotary shaft 7 that can rotate about the housing is disposed at both sides of the actuator 4, the gear members are fitted on the rotary shaft such that they can transmit power, and the air flap 6 integrally combined with each of the rotary shafts 7, so that as the actuator 4 operates, the rotary shafts 7 rotate and the air flaps 6 rotate, thereby simultaneously opening/closing the air path 5 of the housing 3.
However, there is a defect that the housing 3, which is a rigid body maintaining the external appearance and having rigidity, is fixed not to move with respect to the duct in the active air flap device of the related art described above, so that a pedestrian is more injured in a collision with the pedestrian.
The information disclosed in this section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms prior art.